False Memory OCD is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) where individuals experience intrusive thoughts that lead to the questioning of the accuracy of their memories. Individuals may fear they have committed wrongdoing, hurt someone, or done something embarrassing even though there is no proof of such an occurrence. The individual lives in pain and cannot be convinced to get over the thoughts. The anguish of such memories can be strong enough to make the individual constantly analyze or replay their memory in a bid to determine whether it’s real or fake, going into a vicious cycle of anxiety and doubt.
This disease can happen to anyone in general, but false memory OCD is accompanied by a debilitating, obsessional fear surrounding such memories. This client gets stuck in a loop, questioning the specifics of past events or wondering whether he has sinned or hurt someone, thereby being accompanied by unnecessary guilt and self-blame.

Causes of False Memory OCD

Although the leading cause of this disease is still unknown, several factors have been considered in developing this disease.

• Genetics: Research on OCD and its subtypes, including fake thoughts, has established a high-risk factor in families. This might mean that contributions at the genetic level could be a key in developing this condition.
• Brain Structure and Function: Evidence suggests that people with OCD have different brain structures, possibly more imbalances in brain chemicals related to serotonin or something else. Such anomalies make it more difficult for them to work to put those intrusive thoughts into perspective.
• Trauma or Stress: Severe stress and post-traumatic events can be considered as the cause of the appearance of OCD about false memories. Such a state can make the individual too sensitive toward past events, making them distrustful of their memories.
• Personality traits: Individuals with perfectionistic or high moral standards may be more susceptible to this disease. To achieve this desire for justice, they must feel guilty or responsible over little things and blow up all their doubts regarding their memories.
• Environmental Triggers: Sometimes, some environments may trigger or even increase symptoms. For example, viewing a program or listening to the story of a person who accidentally hurt someone triggers fake memories in an OCD-susceptible individual.

Symptoms of False Memory

The following are some common symptoms:

• Intrusive Thoughts: Major thoughts about past events disturb them, such that they must have committed something inappropriate, though no such action has been proved against them.
• Memory Doubts: People always suspect their thoughts and have second thoughts regarding most things in their earlier life. They do not believe in the memories.
• Too Much Guilt: They are always guilty of those things for which they haven’t committed at all. People are held responsible for things purely based on imagination or unclear memory.
• Compulsions: To try to get rid of the bad feeling, a person might compulsively “moodily” relive the memory, ask others repeatedly if they could be wrong, or try to eliminate guilt by researching on the Internet to disprove the possibility of being guilty.
• Mental Checking and Reassurance Seeking: The individual keeps returning to their memory and checking with other people about the incident. People keep doing mental checks and seeking reassurance over doubts, but in this case, usually, the cycle repeats itself.

The OCD Cycle and How False Memory Fits In

This disease is not a variation from the standard OCD cycle, consisting of the following:

• Trigger: A thought or event that reminds them of a possible memory.
• Obsessive Doubt: Questions or doubts regarding what they have done.
• Anxiety: This doubt creates severe guilt and distress.
• Compulsions: The person engaging in compulsive checking or reassurance-seeking behaviours to relieve the anxiety.
• Temporary Relief: This respite is temporary because the uncertainty returns, and the cycle begins again.

The cycle can slowly become so exhausting that the person affected finds it impossible to work, tends to stop living an everyday life, or their relationships deteriorate. It is very compulsive, and people are unable to escape the anxiety.

Some Coping Strategies for False Memory

It is hard to control, yet its impact may be minimized using some coping strategies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most common and successful treatments for OCD, specifically a subtype called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). In ERP, the treatment involves gradually exposing oneself to distressing thoughts, such as, “What if I did something wrong?” without compulsion. The anxiety attached to these thoughts gradually diminishes, thus ending the cycle of OCD.

Mindfulness Practices

Mindfulness teaches people to be concerned with the present moment rather than memories or hypothetical fears. Mindfulness practice teaches people to accept intrusive thoughts without acting emotionally towards them. The fact that they are identified and letting them pass should make them less driven to check or question their memories.

Reduced Reassurance-Seeking

Reassurance-seeking may temporarily ease distress but worsen symptoms in the long term. The decrease in urges to seek reassurance as to whether the memory is real will break the cycle. Generally, this kind of support or accommodation will assist people in slowly abandoning that need, which raises confidence in what they believe in.

Medication

In some instances, medication is used, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which reduce the intensity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Medication is often combined with psychotherapy, making a more integrated approach to treatment.

Self-Compassion and Acceptance

Developing self-compassion is crucial to any sufferer with OCD. It usually leads people to guilt, shame, or embarrassment. Self-kindness can remind the individual of this simple fact: that they are not their thoughts, and OCD-driven guilt is never a genuine statement of who they indeed are.

Controlling Rumination Time

Instead of letting these intrusive thoughts occupy the whole day, setting times to process them might minimize their power over an individual. Sometimes, dedicating a small amount of time to thinking about these thoughts and then switching to other activities interrupts the cycle of continuous ruminating over the thoughts.

How PGx testing can help with the right medication for False Memory

Pharmacogenomic testing will study your DNA to know how your body processes different medicines. This helps doctors find better drugs with fewer side effects for you. RPh Labs offers PGx testing that analyzes your genetic makeup to give insight into how you might respond to varied mental health medications.
In diseases like False Memory OCD, it can be challenging to find the proper medication. This is where the PGx Gene test may come in handy. Assessing how your body metabolizes certain drugs can be the guiding light in choosing medications for you. Your doctor will be far better equipped to discover medicines that are more likely to work well for you and less likely to cause adverse reactions. The goal is always to improve treatment outcomes and avoid most of the hit-or-miss approach in writing psychiatric prescriptions.
Pharmacogenetic testing from RPh Labs will help you better tailor the drug regimen for such disease by providing genetic insight that would allow your physician to select the best medications for your genetic makeup.

Living with False Memory

The quality of life becomes particularly difficult for patients with False Memory. If they understand the condition and learn effective coping strategies, then that will improve their quality of life enormously. Education on the nature of false memories and OCD can help a little to alleviate the distress by empowering oneself with knowledge. Professional support via therapy, medication, and support groups is vital in managing symptoms.
Often, the person diagnosed with this disease is a victim of circumstance. A supportive loved one will be precious in patience and understanding. Being supportive and encouraging someone to consider treatment options while not enabling the cycle can be helpful to them.

Final Thoughts

Even with such routine memories, this disease can be overwhelming, full of self-doubt that has no end. However, the correct combination of therapy with the help of a PGx testing kit for the proper medication and coping strategies alongside support helps individuals have a life that feels more grounded and peaceful. Remember that OCD is treatable; seeking treatment could be a step toward recovery and getting one’s thoughts and false memories back into check, diminishing its effect in day-to-day life.